Employment Outlook for Dancers and Choreographers

Employment of dancers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment of choreographers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2016 to 2026, slower than the average for all occupations.

Positions in large dance companies are competitive, so dancers may find positions in smaller companies or in companies that stage professional dance competitions. There may be better opportunities for dancers and choreographers in large cities, such as New York and Las Vegas, or for dancers who join a traveling company.

A continued interest in dance and in pop culture may provide opportunities in venues outside of dance companies, such as TV or movies, casinos, and theme parks, or as judges in dance competitions. Many dancers and choreographers, nonetheless, struggle to find opportunities to express themselves; dance companies rely on word of mouth, grants, and public funding.

Job Prospects

Dancers and choreographers face intense competition, and the number of applicants is expected to vastly exceed the number of job openings.

Dancers who attend schools or conservatories associated with a dance company may have a better chance of finding work at that company than other dancers have.

Typical Pay for Dancers and Choreographers

The median hourly wage for choreographers was $23.19 in May 2016.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.35, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $45.39.

The median hourly wage for dancers was $13.74 in May 2016.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.69, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $33.34.

In May 2016, the median hourly wages for choreographers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Educational services; state, local, and private

$23.92

Performing arts companies

20.70

In May 2016, the median hourly wages for dancers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Educational services; state, local, and private

$22.41

Performing arts companies

16.53

Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries

15.26

Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)

9.22

Schedules for dancers and choreographers vary with where they work. During tours, dancers and choreographers have long workdays, rehearsing most of the day and performing at night.

Choreographers who work in dance schools may have a standard workweek when they are instructing students. They also spend hours working independently to create new dance routines.

What Dancers and Choreographers Do All Day

Dancers and choreographers use dance performances to express ideas and stories. There are many types of dance, such as ballet, tango, modern dance, tap, and jazz.

Duties

Dancers typically do the following:

Audition for a part in a show or for a job within a dance company

Learn complex dance movements that entertain an audience

Rehearse several hours each day to prepare for their performance

Study new and emerging types of dance

Work closely with instructors, choreographers, or other dancers to interpret or modify their routines

Attend promotional events, such as photography sessions, for the production in which they are appearing

Dancers spend years learning dances and perfecting their skills. They usually perform as part of a group and know a variety of dance styles, including ballet, tap, and modern dance. In addition to traditional performances in front of a live audience, many perform on TV, in videos on the Internet, and in music videos, in which they also may sing or act. Many dancers perform in shows at casinos, in theme parks, and on cruise ships.

Choreographers typically do the following:

Put together moves in a sequence to create new dances or interpretations of existing dances

Choose the music that will accompany a dance routine

Audition dancers for a role in a show or within a dance company

Assist with costume design, lighting, and other artistic aspects of a show

Teach complex dance movements

Study new and emerging types of dance to design more creative dance routines

Help with the administrative duties of a dance company, such as budgeting

Choreographers create original dances and develop new interpretations of existing dances. They work in dance schools, theaters, dance companies, and movie studios. During rehearsals, they typically demonstrate dance moves, to instruct dancers in the proper technique. Many choreographers also perform the dance routines they create. Some choreographers work with performers who are not trained dancers. For example, the complex martial arts scenes performed by actors in movies are arranged by choreographers who specialize in martial arts.

Some dancers and choreographers hold other jobs between roles to make a living.

Work Environment for Dancers and Choreographers

Choreographers held about 6,900 jobs in 2016. The largest employers of choreographers were as follows:

Educational services; state, local, and private

52%

Self-employed workers

26

Performing arts companies

16

Dancers held about 13,500 jobs in 2016. The largest employers of dancers were as follows:

Performing arts companies

30%

Self-employed workers

27

Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)

13

Educational services; state, local, and private

8

Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries

7

Injuries and Illnesses

Dance takes a toll on a person’s body, so on-the-job injuries are common in dancers. Many dancers stop performing by the time they reach their late thirties because of the physical demands of their work. Nonperforming dancers may continue to work as choreographers, directors, or dance teachers.

Work Schedules

Schedules for dancers and choreographers vary with where they work. During tours, dancers and choreographers have long workdays, rehearsing most of the day and performing at night.

Choreographers who work in dance schools may have a standard workweek when they are instructing students. They also spend hours working independently to create new dance routines.

How To Become a Dancer or Choreographer

Education and training requirements vary with the type of dancer; however, all dancers need many years of formal training. Nearly all choreographers began their careers as dancers.

Education and Training

Many dancers begin training when they are young and continue to learn throughout their careers. Ballet dancers begin training the earliest, usually between the ages of 5 and 8 for girls and a few years later for boys. Their training becomes more serious as they enter their teens, and most ballet dancers begin their professional careers by the time they are 18.

Leading professional dance companies sometimes have intensive summer training programs from which they might select candidates for admission to their regular full-time training programs.

Modern dancers normally begin formal training while they are in high school. They attend afterschool dance programs and summer training programs to prepare for their career or for a college dance program.

Some dancers and choreographers pursue postsecondary education. Many colleges and universities offer bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees in dance, typically through departments of theater or fine arts. As of March 2016, there were about 75 dance programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. Most programs include coursework in a variety of dance styles, including modern dance, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop. Most entrants into college dance programs have previous formal training.

Some choreographers work as dance teachers. Teaching dance in a college, high school, or elementary school requires a college degree. Some dance studios and conservatories prefer instructors who have a degree; however, they may accept previous work in lieu of a degree.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Nearly all choreographers begin their careers as dancers. While working as dancers, they study different types of dance and learn how to choreograph routines.

Advancement

Some dancers take on more responsibility if they are promoted to dance captain in musical theater companies. They lead rehearsals or work with less experienced dancers when the choreographer is not present.

Some dancers become choreographers. Dancers and choreographers also may become theater, film, or television producers and directors.

Important Qualities

Athleticism. Successful dancers must have excellent balance, physical strength, and physical dexterity so that they can move their bodies without falling or losing their sense of rhythm.

Creativity. Dancers need artistic ability and creativity to express ideas through movement. Choreographers also must have artistic ability and innovative ideas, to create new and interesting dance routines.

Leadership skills. Choreographers must be able to direct a group of dancers to perform the routines that they have created.

Persistence. Dancers must commit to years of intense practice. They need to be able to accept rejection after auditions and to continue to practice for future performances. Choreographers must keep studying and creating new routines.

Physical stamina. Dancers are often physically active for long periods, so they must be able to rehearse for many hours without getting tired.

Teamwork. Most dance routines involve a group or pairs, so dancers must be able to work together to be successful.